EuroShop has always been a place to spot what’s next. But in 2026, the most important signals weren’t about spectacle or novelty, they were about infrastructure, behaviour and intent.

Our team spent time on the ground in Düsseldorf capturing what mattered beneath the surface: how brands are responding to collapsing dwell time, how experience is being re‑engineered to earn attention, how displays are becoming media channels, and why sustainability is no longer optional or cosmetic.

Read more in our EuroShop 2026 Retail Insights Report, a practical, unfiltered view of the forces shaping retail right now, and what they mean for brands designing environments for the next cycle.

Below is a snapshot of the core trends explored in the report.

AI is not a trend. It’s the infrastructure.

At EuroShop 2026, AI wasn’t confined to one hall or category. It sat underneath everything, accelerating creative production, analysing shopper behaviour, logging interactions, and turning experience into a data advantage.

What stood out wasn’t blind enthusiasm for AI, but a far more mature question: Who can help us use it responsibly, without damaging brand trust?

Retailers are looking for automation that delivers measurable impact, efficiency that genuinely improves operations, and innovation that comes with clear guardrails. In the report, we explore how this shift is widening the gap between partners who have built AI capability properly — and those still treating it as a bolt‑on.

Trend 1: You have two seconds. Maybe less.

One of the most consistent themes at EuroShop was just how dramatically dwell time has collapsed.

Across categories, brands are no longer designing for browsers, they’re designing for deciders. In some formats, the shopper now has seconds, not minutes, to understand what a product is, why it matters and how it should make them feel.

This compression has led to the Two‑Second Story Rule, a simple but unforgiving creative test that is reshaping briefs, display hierarchy and in‑store storytelling. Crucially, this isn’t being driven by instinct alone. In‑store analytics and behavioural data are now informing what earns space, what disappears and what must land instantly.

The report unpacks how brands are responding and why many current display programmes are already out of date.

Trend 2: Retail as a destination. Experience is no longer optional.

The transactional store isn’t dead, but wherever a brand has something worth visiting for, experience is now the differentiator.

From category‑defining flagships to immersive beauty and wellness environments, the strongest examples at EuroShop showed that physical retail must earn its place in a world where anything can be bought anywhere.

What’s changed underneath is just as important: experience is no longer only about brand equity. It has become a data collection mechanism. Stores that give people a reason to stay longer capture behavioural signals that transactional environments never will.

In the report, we look at why destination retail is creating both emotional connection and information advantage, and why brands that answer one key question clearly are pulling ahead.

Trend 3: The display is now a media channel.

Digital integration at EuroShop wasn’t about adding screens for effect. The work that stood out made displays smarter without making them noisier, and crucially, they were collecting data while they ran.

From fixtures that log interaction, to screens that know when someone stops, the most effective displays treated technology as a working component, not decoration. In this model, the display isn’t just a moment, it’s a channel, with purpose, measurement and feedback built in.

Trend 4: Sustainability is now load‑bearing.

At EuroShop 2026, sustainability was no longer presented as a compliance exercise or a marketing story. It was built directly into design, materials and production logic.

What stood out was how often sustainability and commercial performance were aligned. Lower‑energy screens weren’t framed as greener; they were framed as better ROI. Circular materials weren’t alternatives; they were superior systems.

As retailer requirements tighten, brands that own their material and data decisions will be better positioned than those relying on third‑party specifications. The report looks at why sustainability is becoming structurally non‑negotiable and what brands need to be thinking about now for future rollouts.

If these themes resonate, the full report explores each trend in more depth. And if you’re already thinking about how this plays out in your own retail environments, get in touch with the team to see how we’re already helping brands navigate these shifts or take a look at our services overview for more information.

We recently hosted an engaging webinar in partnership with the Procurement Foundry, ‘Unlocking the Future of Marketing Print’, bringing together procurement and marketing professionals to explore how to optimise print management processes and maximise the impact of print campaigns. Hosted by Mike Cadieux, Founder and CEO of the Procurement Foundry, and featuring an expert panel including perspectives from a client, a consultant, and a solution provider, the session delivered a 360° view of the evolving print landscape. Our speakers included:

• Tony Massey, Executive Director, APS Group
• Heather Padgett, Senior Commercial Marketing Manager, HOYA Vision Care North America
• Fre Rammeloo, CEO, Dexter Global Business Solutions Inc.

Print Media: Far from obsolete

The discussion kicked off with a look at what print media means today and the consensus was anything tangible that you can print on to display a brand message. Far from dying out, print is experiencing a renaissance and actually becoming a more unique communication method against its digital counterpart.

While digital dominates the marketing mix, print offers something tactile and immersive that can’t always be replicated online. From packaging that can’t be digitised to direct mail making a comeback, brands are rediscovering print’s ability to create meaningful, lasting impressions – especially as digital fatigue sets in among consumers.

Sustainability: More than a buzzword

It’s clear there is a growing demand for sustainability within the printing industry with it becoming more of a priority than just a ‘nice to have’. Becoming more aware and increasingly critical, both consumers and employees are driving change and pushing brands to adopt greener and more ethical practices with carbon offsetting and sustainability initiatives becoming more popular as solutions.

Attendees heard how the industry is innovating through recyclable materials, vegetable inks and on-demand printing to minimise waste. It was also highlighted that digital isn’t carbon-neutral either, and benchmarking environmental impacts across both channels is vital to help develop future strategy.

A blended approach for maximum impact

Rather than choosing between print and digital, speakers emphasised the power of using both mediums in partnership to encourage the consumers path to purchase. Strategies such as personalised print campaigns supported by digital tracking, QR codes, and A/B testing were showcased as ways to measure ROI and optimise the media mix. Asking consumers their communication preferences and innovating with customised communications were flagged as essential for ensuring print retains its share of voice.

Technology transforming print communications

The webinar explored how technology and AI are reshaping the print industry. From printed electronics and on-demand multilingual collateral to data-driven personalisation, the possibilities are expanding rapidly. AI’s ability to analyse data, speed up workflows, and generate creative ideas were all highlighted, it can even offer intelligence to predict how impactful a piece of creative or a campaign is going to be and then suggest improvements as a result.

Most brands are curious and dipping their toe into AI with some appearing more embracing whilst others more cautious, although this can sometimes be sector dependent. However, everyone agreed that human oversight remains critical to keep campaigns authentic and emotionally resonant.

So, what is a good corporate sourcing strategy?

The final topic focused on building a strong corporate sourcing strategy for print. Collaboration between procurement, marketing, and strategic partners emerged as key. Attendees were encouraged to engage printing partners early, consider innovation and sustainability alongside cost, and develop positive cross-departmental relationships to ensure print delivers value across the business. Working together with experts and stakeholders, both internally and externally, can provide deeper knowledge and understanding and better outcomes for all.

This webinar was packed with insights, expert perspectives and practical strategies for procurement and marketing professionals alike. To receive the full recording of the webinar, please fill in your details and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon.

Print is APS’s heritage, it’s where we began, talk to us today: [email protected].

Is your disaster recovery plan for customer communications robust enough? This was the topic of our webinar hosted by Amanda Beesley who is the Vice President of Consultancy at Aspire CCS, a specialist advisory firm dedicated to the CCM-CXM markets. 

Customer communications are becoming more intelligent and progressive, focusing on interactivity and improving the customer experience which has shown to improve brand perception and can influence success. Businesses are moving away from an inside-out operational approach to an outside-in model which is more dynamic, driven by real-time interactions and customer satisfaction to drive loyalty and engagement. 

This change does, however, bring increased risks and businesses need to adapt. Many risk profiles are outdated as threats are constantly evolving, from natural disasters and pandemics to digital and cybercrime, disaster recovery plans need to be constantly evaluated to keep up with the world. Consistent delivery of critical communications via the channel of choice needs to happen no matter what, or you risk reputational, commercial and regulatory impacts. 

1 out of 8 customers will switch providers due to poor customer experience and communication. 

Criteria to think about when choosing a disaster recovery partner are: 

• Dual sourcing – choose a company that is not your main provider 

• Proven ability to be able to reserve capacity to fulfill disaster recovery requirements in a timely manner 

• Implementation of a dynamic testing routine 

APS serves as the disaster recovery partner for some of the largest financial services brands in the UK. Contact [email protected] to find out what we can do for you. 

We gathered an exciting panel of experts within the US nonprofit sector to discuss the evolution of this industry, including how to overcome challenges and gain a competitive edge in today’s landscape. The panel included: 

• Johnny Burleson, Principal, Mid-Atlantic, Creative Fundraising Advisors

• Kathy Higgins, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for a Healthier Generation

• Chuck Kaylor, Chief of Staff, John M. Belk Endowment

• Rob Potter, Head of Strategy and Planning, APS 

Several factors have affected the market and how donors, both new and regular, decide on who to support with their money and time. The last twenty years have brought so many significant life events and these have largely influenced how people, younger donors especially, view the world. The new generation is completely different to any that have come before, and this means the way in which nonprofits communicate with their audience must also change – complacency is not an option. 

We are over-saturated with advertising noise and so organisations need efficient and effective practices to cut through and engage with their target audience. Storytelling needs to be compelling to resonate and evoke an emotional reaction, whilst remaining transparent and authentic to build those all-important, lasting relationships. Communications need to be omni-channel as our sources of trusted information have now changed, nonprofits need to meet their audience where they are and be able to demonstrate impact and how they are making a difference. 

In addition to external marketing activity, the infrastructure of an organisation also needs to be stable and resilient to withstand changing trends over time. This includes things such as having the right board in place and building a culture of philanthropy, to utilising efficient technologies and working with the right suppliers. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg. To hear further insights on how to thrive as a nonprofit and turn challenges into opportunities, please fill in your details and a member of our team will be in touch with you soon. 

At APS, we have already helped a number of partners in this space become more efficient and effective with their marketing activities and operations, and we’d love to help your organisation do the same. Talk to us today, [email protected].